A Winter of Longing
by CheapMonday
Summary: Bella, human, meets Edward, an angel. One thing differentiates him from the other angels; his black wings and his promised throne over the black-winged. How can their love blossom under an impending war between the black-winged and white-winged angels. M
1. Preface

**AN: Hello everybody! This is my first Twilight-fic, so please enjoy, leave a little feedback and do come back for more :) Sorry about the language and grammar though. English is not my first-language.**

**Summary:**

**Bella Swan is a normal girl, whose life changes drastically after an encounter with Edward, an angel. However, there is something that differentiates him from other angels; his black wings and his promised throne, on which he shall rule over the rest of the black-winged angels. How can their love blossom in the midst of an impending war between the white-winged and black-winged angels?**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but this plot. All credits go to Stephenie Meyer, whose talent never ceases to amaze and dazzle me.**

_A Winter of Longing_

**PREFACE:**

He looked into my eyes, seeing everything. How could he be so beautiful? Normally I would not use the term 'beautiful' to describe a man,

but the man in question was not a normal man. How offending the thought was! He may possess human-like qualities, but of course; one

should never judge a book on its cover.

Do you believe in angels? You are probably having various associations, containing supernaturally beautiful creatures with wings and halos.

Mere stereotypes, I tell you, because they are simply embellished fantasies created by people like you and I, mortal beings. I, myself, only

thought of them as made-up fantasies, to offer us moral support when needed. But then again, how often do we actually listen to our

conscience? How many times do we, in times of doubt, resolve to the heart vs. head debate? Quite a lot. Just like now... My head tells me

to wake up and snap out of this dream-like state. Why should I wake up, when I'm finally with him? My personal angel. The only thing that

was off, was that his wings were black.

"You look troubled, love. Care to share your locked thoughts?" he smiled his crooked smile, in which I had fallen for the first time our paths

crossed. I shook my head and closed my eyes, while smiling. "Nothing is troubling me, I am just enjoying your presence" I answered and

patted the empty spot next to me. My bed was big enough for two – even three.

His face portrayed disappointment and sorrow, and what bothered me the most was that he had no intentions on joining me on my bed or

whatsoever. "I should not even be here... My master would not approve of it, but then again being rebellious has its perks" he smirked

after having, what I assumed, an internal debate. He retracted his beautiful black wings and climbed in next to me. He wrapped his strong

and muscular arms around me. I felt so welcomed and warm in his embrace, and I knew that his arms were made for my body, as was his

hand made for mine. My eyes slowly dropped to a close as my CD-player on the nightstand whispered the remains of Dashboard

Confessionals "Stolen".


	2. Chapter 1 From Forks to Oxford

**AN: OMG, people actually put the story on alert! And mfranesj, thanks for the review! It really made my day and I hope that this chapter won't disappoint you :)**

**Btw sorry about the language. English is not my first-language and sorry it took so long for me to update. I reread the first chapter and it was really a bunch of crap I wrote and not what I wanted, so I started over.**

**Read and review! **

**Summary: Bella Swan is a normal girl, whose life changes drastically after an encounter with Edward, an angel. However, there is something that differentiates him from other angels; his black wings and his promised throne, on which he shall rule over the rest of the black-winged angels. How can their love blossom in the midst of an impending war between the white-winged and black-winged angels?**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but this plot. All credits go to Stephenie Meyer, whose talent never ceases to amaze and dazzle me.**

**Chapter 1**

I knew that my life had changed the moment I received the letter. It had the official label of The University of Oxford. I did not have to open

the letter, I knew that I was accepted because I really worked my butt out of my pants during high school. That is how Charlie and Renee

raised me and I knew that I would forever hold such gratitude for that. That was a couple of months ago and today I stood at the airport,

about to take my leave. I turned to hug Charlie, my father. He had always been an introverted and quiet person, everything was left to his

actions – Actions speak louder than words, as they say. No wonder where I got my quiet personality from – I smirked at the thought. "Look

at you... I don't know what to say, Bella-darling" he turned to look to the side and discreetly wiped a small tear away. Then he reached

down in his pocket to retrieve a can. A can I knew too well and I laughed at his intentions. "Don't forget the pepper spray!" he said sternly

and gave it to me. "Char – Dad, you should have given it to me while I still was packing" I laughed and opened my suitcase and awkwardly

stowed it in there. "I'm sorry that Renee couldn't be here... Phil had a game to attend" he said without sounding sorry at all. He dreaded

every possible situations where they could meet. "It's okay, I'll give her a call as soon as I get to England" I assured him, I knew perfectly

well that she would head hunt him if she did not hear from me after a certain amount of time. Renee was my mother, who remarried Phil, a

baseball player.

After one last hug, I turned to walk towards the check-in desks. One last glance back and it would be the last for now. I handed my

itinerary and passport to a lady, who nodded and took my suitcase and continued standard procedure.

While waiting for boarding I indulged myself in the world of Duty-Free. One could always get lost in the drawing perfume fragrances. I found

a gift shop called Made in Washington and decided to check it out. Maybe I could find something to bring to England – Something to remind

me of home. After some time I could feel that I skipped breakfast, which made my stomach complain quite loudly and I rushed towards

Starbucks. Hallelujah for SB! I got my coffee and sandwich, and munched happily until the plane was ready to be boarded.

There were people everywhere and babies screaming filled the large aircraft. It was going to be a long flight, I thought and found my seat.

Luckily I got the one at the window. I stoved my carry-on under the seat in front of me and got my iPod. I plugged in my earphones, set it

on shuffle mode and leaned into the seat. Might as well get comfortable from the start, eh?, I thought.

A couple of seconds later, somebody plumbed into the seat next to me. I did not look up at first, but the next thing that happened left me

no choice. He got comfy and flipped his long black hair and a part of it whipped me in the face. I turned with a look of annoyance, he looked

at me and smirked. He had a defined facial bone-structure and a strong jaw. His eyes and hair were dark as a starless night and deep as

never-ending tunnels. I caught myself staring at him for too long, which he noticed and he sent a smirk my way. "I would consider it rude to

stare, but I choose to take it flattering because you have a pretty face" he had a deep voice, and I blushed. My trademark and default

reaction, suitable for every occasion. "Sorry" I mumbled and looked out of the small window. The plane took off and my eyes lingered on the

ground that was slowly disappearing. Bye Forks.

A couple of hours went by and when I took a side glance at the guy, I saw that he was looking at me as well. "I know that you've been

stealing glances the last 4 hours, so I'm thinking that we should quit the childish acts and start the talking... And I might as well start" he

ranted off and I was dumbfounded. I knew he had a big mouth, but not that he could talk for fast without blabbering. "My name is Black..."

he said and I quirked an eyebrow "... Jacob Black" he finished. So James Bond-style. "Isabella Swan, Isabella being the first name" I said

and he laughed – Obviously he found it funny. "So, what's up? Why are you going to London?" he asked with an interested look – feigned

or not, I did not know. "Hmm, nothing much, wish that I had fully recharged my iPod though. I'm attending Oxford so that's why I'm here" I

said truthfully. His eyes widened and a smile was plastered on his face. "Cool! Me too! What are you going to study?" he asked with such

enthusiasm, it almost made me unable to breathe. "English language and literature" I said and took out my tattered copy of Wuthering

Heights. "Wow, heavy – I'm relying on my music" he said and shrugged. I smiled and nodded and returned to my reading, happy with the

thought that I knew at least ONE person there.

I had not even realised that I had fallen asleep and as I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. I looked out of the window and saw that were

circling over Heathrow airport. "I was about to wake you up, but I prefer your snoring over the engine noise" he smirked – another smart-

ass remark from his side, and I would shove my shoe in his face.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please fasten your seatbelts, we are about to land in Heathrow. Thanks for flying with British Airways, we hope you

had a pleasant flight" a recorded female voice announced and I fastened my seatbelt and waited for the landing.

Luckily, the landing was pain-free and I hurried out of the plane to get my baggage. I swear, one more second with Jacob fucking Bond and

I'm sending him back to America, and not via plane, I thought as I dragged my suitcase with me to the nearest taxi. I opened the door with

one hand, while the other tried to lift the suitcase. I let go for a moment to catch my breath, but someone lifted the suitcase and put it in

the trunk. I turned around to thank the person, and of course; who was standing there? Bond-himself. "Thought that since we were

heading the same direction, so why not split?" he said as he took a seat in the taxi, without waiting for my reaction. D'oh! Nice one Bella.

I was going to stay at Balliol College, and I instantly fell in love with its charming exterior. It held a rustic and quaint atmosphere. I could

not wait to find out who I would share my room with.

As I made my way through the long hallways, I felt like somebody was watching me. I chose to ignore it and continued. It is a wonder that I

had not tripped and made a fool out of myself yet, but who was I to speak/think that? The moment I turned a corner, I collided with

another person. "Oh my God! I'm sorry, I didn't see where I was going" I said, panic-struck. I opened my eyes to look at the person. It was

a girl, probably my age – she had short hair that suited her, and outstanding brilliant blue eyes. She had a nice and large smile on her face

and held out her arms, in welcoming manners. "No problem at all! My name is Alice Brandon! Nice to meet you" Oh god, she was hyper.

Quite a pixie, I giggled.

"Hey, you wouldn't by any chance know where my room is?" I asked and handed her my papers. She gasped loudly and punched the air,

almost in victory-style. "Yes, I certainly do! You're my room mate" she exclaimed, bounced away and probably expected me to follow her. I

sighed, where did she get all this energy from?

I heard a chuckle behind me and I turned. Two smoldering golden eyes met me and I gasped. Before me stood a gorgeous and handsome

man. His bronze-coloured hair was ruffled and it looked as if he just woke up. It literally screamed sex. He was quite tall, thin but he had

muscular arms. I thought that his shirt hid too much and too late did I realise that I was gaping at him, and he chuckled again, such a

sweet and velvet-like sound. I could definitely get used to it in a short amount of time and it would never tire me. My blush worsened and I

looked away. "No, don't look away" he whispered in a strained voice, almost pleadingly. My eyes widened and I looked back at him, which I

regretted immediately. His eyes held me captive again, hell – everything about him drew me to him.

"Oh, there you are! Edward, what are you doing to the new girl?" Alice asked jokingly. I tore my gaze away from him and gave Alice an

apologetic look. So his name was Edward? "Nothing Alice. I'll be seeing you around" he answered and directed the last remark to me, gave

me a dazzling look and turned to leave. My eyes followed his slowly disappearing back. Alice sighed behind me and said: "I know, Edward

has that effect on many girls". I turned and asked, "Who is he?" and received a sympathetic smile "No good for you".

**AN: Thanks for reading and I'll update asap :)**

**If you think that it's worth continuing, please review!**


	3. Chapter 2 Stay

**AN:  
Sorry about the wait! School and finals are trying to kill me. Thanks to mfrancesj, stunningblondelalala and shout-outs to MoonlightShadowOfADarkDream and Emmy!**

**First one for Moonlight:  
I don't really know what happened there, it sounded wrong after I read the way I depicted Jacob. I'm sorry I made him sound like a womanizer, but I tried to get the cocky, but insecure effect. Obviously it didn't work xD But you'll see, about the Edward and Alice thing :) **

**Emmy:  
Glad, you liked it :D I'll read and review all of your stories, when my finals are over ;) I can see myself spending the Summer with reading your fics!**

**Summary: Bella Swan is a normal girl, whose life changes drastically after an encounter with Edward, an angel. However, there is something that differentiates him from other angels; his black wings and his promised throne, on which he shall rule over the rest of the black-winged angels. How can their love blossom in the midst of an impending war between the white-winged and black-winged angels?**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but this plot. All credits go to Stephenie Meyer, whose talent never ceases to amaze and dazzle me.**

**Chapter 2**

No good for me? What was that supposed to mean, I wondered and went inside to get settled. "So you know him?" I asked Alice, mainly to start the conversation, but also to get some information about Edward. "Who doesn't? I mean it's not that I dislike him, he's okay, but don't grow too attached to him" Alice said while she helped me with folding the clothes and put it in the closet. I decided to not press more information out of her, for now at least. I retrieved my cell phone and called home. "Hey Bells!" a familiar voice said, and I smiled. "Hey dad, England is great! All though the weather could have been better" I said and turned to Alice. "Yeah everything's great and I already made a friend here" I smiled at her, and she mouthed 'hello' "she says hey by the way" and I smiled again.

It was nice talking to Charlie again, and it really calmed me. "Bella, I was wondering if you wanted to get a bite and go sightseeing with me?" Alice asked me. "Yeah, let's go" I said and grabbed my purse, and walked over to her, only to get stopped by her. "You are not serious are you?" she asked with a panic-struck expression on her face. I looked down and found nothing wrong. "What do you mean?" I asked perplexed. "Aren't you going to change your clothes?!" she gasped as if I had grown another head.

Fifteen minutes and two sets of clothes later, Alice and I were on our way to some café in London. We ordered some coffee and a sandwich, and sat outside, enjoying the sun. "So where are you from?" Alice asked me, while munching on her BLT. "I'm from Forks, Washington. It's like the rainiest city in the U.S." I answered and retrieved my cell phone to show her a couple of pictures. "That's my beloved truck" I laughed. "Seriously? It's quite… Charming" Alice said and smiled which made me laugh.

"Hello ladies!" a soft and timid voice broke my chain of thoughts and a smiling face met mine. "Oh, hi Jasper!" suddenly Alice went from being hyper to almost… Shy and hesitant, which was so not her. "Bella, this is Jasper Whitlock" Alice said enthusiastically with a wide smile. "Hey! Bella Swan" I said and shook his hand. There was something about his presence that calmed me. He smiled a heartfelt smile and took a seat next to Alice. I excused myself, sensing that they might need some privacy, and told Alice that I would be demanding every detail equivalent to the Spanish inquisition. I decided to take a stroll down Oxford Street, but knowing my luck – or rather lack thereof – it would be raining soon and I did not bring my umbrella. The first raindrops began to fall and I hurried down the street. The downpour was blinding me, and I had no chance of seeing two metres ahead of me clearly. Suddenly I bumped into something – or someone. Being accident prone I fell backwards, but before my body met the ground a pair of strong arms caught me. I tried looking up but the raindrops kept blinding me, so I found myself being dragged towards a dry place. I dried my eyes and looked up again, my heart stopped. It was the guy from before – Edward.

His, usually, messy hair was now wet but the gray surroundings did not lessen the intensity his eyes held. "What are you doing out here?!" he yelled. How dare he yell at me?! "I could ask you the same question!" I retorted. "That doesn't matter! You shouldn't be out in this weather" he mumbled. "Who are you to decide that?" I asked and crossed my arms. He sighed and looked around – everywhere but me. "I live nearby, let's continue there" he said and guided me through the masses of water. Suddenly the world only consisted of Edward and I – or maybe the fact that only a dork would be outside in the heavy rain and the streets were deserted added to the effect. After walking for a while in silence, we reached his flat. I entered and gasped at the interior design. He noticed my dumbfounded state and smirked. "My mum, Esme, decorated my flat" he said and took my dripping wet coat and placed it in the bathroom to dry.

I went in to his bedroom and once again I was spellbound by the view. Warm red-coloured walls and a large bed in the midst of the room caught my eyes. "Just take a rest if you're tired, I'll make some coffee" he said and went to the kitchen. I sat on the bed and noted the softness of the pillows – it was as if they were inviting me to take a nap.

I woke up to see him lying next to me while reading a book. Or rather a play – when I saw the title "Macbeth". I stretched and he looked at me, I blushed suddenly noticing that were lying in the same bed. I jumped off the bed and landed butt first on the floor. "Hey!" he said and got out of the bed to help me up. "You know I can't always be there to catch you" he joked, which made me blush even more. "It's not as if I was doing it on purpose" I said through gritted teeth. "You want some coffee? That'll make you less cranky, you know" he said while heading to the kitchen. I followed and sat by the table and he soon joined me, handing me a cup of coffee. I held the cup up to my lips and sipped a bit of it. He also drank while watching me. "So... I see that you're reading Macbeth" I said, to start a conversation. "Yeah, I like that play" he stated and sat the cup down on the table. "Why do you like it? I mean it's just slaughtering and more slaughtering. Macbeth is nothing but a heartless butcher" I said, a bit unsure though, the last time I read the play was like two years ago. "Macbeth, a heartless butcher? Well that is certainly discussable" he said with a challenging look.

"I mean, he killed all those innocent people" I argued and crossed my arms again. "Macbeth is just a man who got caught up with his ambitions, and was seduced by the dark powers" he said defiantly. "But that doesn't excuse his actions" I said, knowing that I had lost the discussion. "He regrets his actions later on, to me that shows that he still had a human side". Period. I put my arms up in surrender and sighed. He chuckled and said: "You amuse me Bella". I blushed again which only made him chuckle more.

"Do I really have that kind of reaction to you?" he asked and I shook my head. "No you just... dazzle me" I said. He raised on of his eyebrows "I dazzle you?" he asked goofily. "I know that we don't know each other very well, but I would like to get to know you better though" I said and looked down. I am not good at making friends with the opposite sex, especially not with a dazzling personage as him.

He paused but slowly, a smile made its way on his lips. "The feeling is mutual" he said and again, I blushed. It seemed to be my default reaction to everything. "You can stay here for the night, and I'll drive you to school tomorrow" he said. "Edward, I would not dream of imposing" I said bewildered, but he insisted. I knew that discussing with Edward was a lost cause, so I gave up. "You just sleep in my room and I'll sleep on the couch" he said, making me frown. "No, Edward, I'll sleep on the couch" I said and walked over to the couch. "Don't be ridiculous, Bella" he said and lifted me, as if I weighed nothing, over his shoulder and into his room. He gently laid me on the bed and was about to leave the room, but I got a hold of his shirt. He turned around with a questioning look. "Can't you at least stay?" I asked.

**AN: Thanks for reading :) A little feedback would be nice!**


	4. Chapter 3 Confusion

**AN:**

**Again sorry about the wait! You know how time consuming school can be ;) AND I also composed a song inspired by Emmy1512's "Close". It's called "I Let You Get Close" and I wouldn't be able to make it without Emmy's talented writing.**

.com/watch?v=min5XDVlSaI

**Also, a shoutout to mfrancesj, who has been reviewing since the beginning :) THANKS FOR RETURNING :D**

**Btw, this is going to be a short chapter, because I'm trying out the tips you all gave me, the paragraphing and taking it slowly, as in not rushing it. So this is kinda a test-chapter. But review anyways :D**

**Summary: Bella Swan is a normal girl, whose life changes drastically after an encounter with Edward, an angel. However, there is something that differentiates him from other angels; his black wings and his promised throne, on which he shall rule over the rest of the black-winged angels. How can their love blossom in the midst of an impending war between the white-winged and black-winged angels?**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but this plot. All credits go to Stephenie Meyer, whose talent never ceases to amaze and dazzle me.**

**Chapter 3**

"Can't you at least stay?" I asked.

His facial expression went from questioning to hesitant, almost in no time. He looked down, contemplatively and looked up again. He shook his head with a sorry smile.

"I don't think that it is a good idea" he said and exited the room, leaving me speechless and somewhat hurt. Here I was, lying on a huge bed, in Edward Cullen's bedroom. Somehow, I had wounded up in Edward's apartment. Due to the weather, as a matter of fact and oddly enough, it was not the fact, that I was in Edward's, who is the most dazzling person, who has ever walked the face of earth that terrified me; no, it was Alice's reaction that really frightened me. It was kind of ridiculous actually, since I was taller than her, but something told me that I had better not mess with that pixie-girl. With that in mind I entered my dream world.

Have you ever had a dream that seemed so real, but yet impossible? I was having one of those now. In my dream I saw a silhouette of a person standing on the edge of a cliff. I only saw the back as the rest was engulfed by darkness. I reached out for the person, but it seemed as if it slowly disappeared as I took a step closer. Somehow everything got brighter and the figure was gone and in its place was Edward.

I woke up with a gasp and I sat up, taking in the surroundings bewildered. I calmed as I realized that I was in Edward's bedroom. I took a minute to collect myself and I searched for the bathroom. I actually managed to find it, in one piece and without tripping. The bathroom was quite nice, but there was nothing in it. No such thing as toiletries, there were only a toilet and a shower. I found it quite disturbing that it was so empty; I would definitely have to ask him later. My chain of thoughts was interrupted with a beautiful sound, coming from the basement. I followed the sound and it led me to a door.

I tried to open the door as silently as I could, but I could not. It made an eerie and creaky sound as I opened it wide enough for me to enter the room. I saw him, Edward, playing the piano. At first he did not acknowledge my presence, as he was too deep into Debussy's "Clair de Lune". I just stood there, spellbound. Everything about him drew me in, even though I did not know him that well. He stopped and looked up with a content smile.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked and got up and stretched. It took me some time to set my mind on creating an answer that did not make me sound retarded.

"Yeah, it was okay. How long have you been up?" I asked, silently praising myself for making a coherent question.

"I could not sleep" he said and trailed his pale hand across the ivory keys.

"Clair de Lune is great" I whispered and looked into his eyes. They also held the same content smile in them.

"You know Debussy?" he asked, genuinely interested.

"I only know "Clair de Lune" but I'm sure that his other works are good as well". He nodded and walked over to me. He stopped right beside me and motioned for me to follow him upstairs.

"I better get you to school" he said and waited for me, which reminded me of my almost forgotten question.

"Edward, I was wondering if you had a spare toothbrush?" I asked.

"No, but I can stop at a convenience store on the way" he said, leaving no room for further questions. I followed him, but I stopped at a mirror to fix the disastrous thing known as my hair. It was a wonder that he had not laughed at the mere sight of my appearance.

I went out to his car and made my way to the right side of the car, but he stopped me.

"Either you are forgetting that we're in England or you want to drive?" he asked with a smirk.

"No, I don't mind you driving" I said while blushing and hurried to the left side of the car. He entered and the smirk was still plastered on his flawless face.

"I wonder what Alice is going to do when she sees me" I muttered, mostly to myself. He gave me a quick glance and then concentrated on driving again.

"Who cares what she thinks?" he asked with an air of indifference.

"I care, she has been nothing but nice to me" I answered and looked at him, searching for some kind of reaction, but the indifferent look stayed the same. "What is the problem? Do you dislike her?"

"It's not that I dislike her, but I have my reasons for not jumping of joy when seeing her" he said without looking at me. I decided not to answer. He stopped in front of Boots and I gave him an inquiring look. "I thought you wanted to buy something?" he asked and waited for me to react. "Oh! Thanks" I said bewildered and hurried into the store. Should I buy one for Edward as well? Yeah, I will get a blue one for me and a pink for him, just for fun. I paid and hurried out to the car again.

"Here, I got one for you as well" I said and handed him the pink toothbrush. His reaction was hilarious as he looked down on it with a look that said: "What the hell am I supposed to do with this?".

"Come on, pink is totally your colour!" I encouraged him while giggling. He gave me another funny look of incomprehension. "You do know what a toothbrush is? You use it to scrub your toes" I said.

"Oh" was his reply. I almost believed that he was clueless to what a toothbrush was. "My feet are perfectly well without a toothbrush" he said seriously.

The rest of the car-ride was pretty much uneventful as we neared Balliol College. He dropped me off in front of the door, where Alice waited with her arms crossed. I got out of the car and walked up to her with my head held down. I ended up next to her, but she did not look at me; her gaze was directed towards Edward. I turned around and saw him glaring, who it was directed at I did not know. I nodded towards him and I took Alice by the hand and went inside.

"Alice it's not what it looks like" I began, but she held her hand up.

"Bella, I'm disappointed. I told you that Edward was no good, but you decide to spend the night with him? Don't come with lame excuses about the weather, I know that you have a cell phone that is fully functional" she said and I immediately felt bad.

"What do you two have against each other?" I asked, trying to keep up with her hasty strides.

"We have class now Bella, it'll have to wait" she said with a voice void of emotion, which was scary because this was a different side of Alice.

**AN: Thanks for reading again :) Review and tell me what you think :)**


	5. Chapter 4 Revelations

**AN:**

**You all know how RL can get so busy and blah. I'm also studying for my English and Italian final exams, so yeah :D**

**I would like it if you could review and tell me if it's worth continuing. I'm kinda losing hope on this one.  
Read and review pleeease!**

**Summary: Bella Swan is a normal girl, whose life changes drastically after an encounter with Edward, an angel. However, there is something that differentiates him from other angels; his black wings and his promised throne, on which he shall rule over the rest of the black-winged angels. How can their love blossom in the midst of an impending war between the white-winged and black-winged angels?**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but this plot. All credits go to Stephenie Meyer, whose talent never ceases to amaze and dazzle me.**

**Chapter 4**

Alice had given me the silent treatment the entire day, and it did not change over the next hours. Until she came to my room, that is. I was lying in my bed, reading my much-tattered copy of Brontë's "Wuthering Heights" and then she barged into the room. She was breathing as if she had just completed a long-distance marathon. She gasped for air and closed the door after her.

"Bella I can't stand being mad and avoiding you" she said and sat down on the bed. I quirked an eyebrow at her antics.

"You have something to tell me?" I asked and put the book down, waiting for the explaining to commerce.

"I was upset because you didn't listen to my advice" she began and looked hurt and disappointed.

"What? About wearing clothes with matching colours?" I asked jokingly to break the tension.

"You know what I mean Bella," she sighed "About the Edward thing. I told you that he was no good for you, and well there is a reason".

"Alice, I do appreciate that you're careful and protective, and that is a good quality in a friend. But I'm old enough to decide who I socialise with, when and where. Besides, nothing –" I was cut off as somebody knocked on the door.

"Isabella Swan? There's a guy waiting for you at the port" a high-pitched voice said. She peaked in with an expectant look, probably because she wanted me to follow her. I looked at Alice and she nodded.

"Bye Jessica" Alice waved and Jessica closed the door after me.

"So, your name is Jessica?" I asked, breaking the silence. She nodded, but she did not continue the conversation in that direction.

"Listen Bella, I saw you and Edward together, and rumours spread quite quickly here. I don't want you to put Edward in a bad light, so I think that you should stay away from him. I'm going for him" Jessica drawled in her British accent.

"I know my way from here, thank you very much" I said coldly and left her. Could it be Edward? Why would he want to see me again? I got outside and shivered a bit because of the cold. I neared the port and I saw a person waiting there.

"Hey" I called out to the figure engulfed by the shadows. He turned around and greeted me with his wide smile.

"Bella!" he exclaimed. It was Jacob, oh joy.

"Long time no see! Come take a walk with me" he said and put on his best pleading look. I could not help loosening up a bit. I nodded and walked with him in the cool summer air. Or the remainder.

"So, do you like the classes here?" he asked and gave me a side glance while walking. I thought about it, and it was not that bad. I liked the professor and he was really throughout with the texts, so I nodded.

"Yes, they are okay. What about you?" I asked, scrutinising him.

"They're pretty much okay, though I'd rather sit outside and enjoy the summer air" he answered truthfully. I smirked and chose not to respond. We spent some time talking about our background and what we wanted to do when we "grow up". I have always dreamt of being a professional artist as I love expressing myself artistically. Dancing was out of the question as my coordination left much to be desired. Also, being uncoordinated does not go well with spectators. I reserved dancing for myself and the confines of my room. Jacob wanted to do something with music. He played the guitar in a small band, consisting of a couple of friends of his and himself. It was called the Pack and I was asked to come and hang out with them at their next gig.

I would definitely not mind hanging out with him and his friends. It turned out that Jacob, much to my big surprise, was not as annoying and arrogant as he sounded on the plane, thereby annulling my first hand impression of him. It was probably because the situation back then made my short-tempered being, less tolerant. He was actually okay and I was looking forward to making new friends here.

So far had Alice been the most welcoming, and friendly person that I have met here. Edward, on the other hand, was a curious case. I intended on digging a little deeper and get to know more about him. Something about him just drew me in and I could not help it!

A buzz from my jean pocket brought me back to reality. I gave Jacob an apologetic look as I retrieved my cell phone and read my newly received text from a very anxious Alice, who was wondering whether Jacob had kidnapped me or not. I glanced at the clock and my eyes instantly widened. No wonder Alice was so worried, I had been out for two hours. Time surely did fly by when I spent time with Jacob.

"I better head back before Alice sends the army searching for me" I said jokingly for which I earned a chuckle.

"Tell her that I apologise for keeping you from her for so long. I was merely looking for some company" he winked and turned to leave. While watching his back slowly disappear, one question popped up in my head and I shouted out to him.

"Jacob! How did you know where I lived?" I asked and he turned.

"I have my sources" he winked playfully again. Okay, sources as in Jessica Stanley? I smirked and headed back myself. Hopefully Jacob and I would spend more time together.

Time passed by slowly the following days and Alice had yet to reveal what she knew about Edward. I felt more aggravated as the seconds turned to hours and so on. The work load also grew and I could feel the pressure of the meaning behind attending University of Oxford.

The air around Edward continuously grew more mysterious and I felt more than ever drawn to his presence. He began to avoid me, but every time I was near him, I could feel his intense stare directed to my back. Autumn had finally left its mark and the leaves were falling, leaving the trees stripped and bare. Very much like my state of mind. I was so determined on making Alice spill, but every time I got closer, she slowly got out of my grip.

However, when I found myself sulking in my room the day after, I was listening to some calming music, only to be unceremoniously disturbed by Alice, who suddenly burst into my room. I took off my headphones to ask where the fire was. She did not look at me or show any sign of acknowledging my presence, but made a beeline to my closet. She opened it and threw me a sweater and a pair of tight jeans. I caught them in the air and wore a facial expression that said: What the heck?

"We are going to Harrods!" she exclaimed happily and bounced over to me, which made me wonder about the sudden change in behaviour.

"Wait what?!" I asked and threw a pillow at her.

"No time! Get dressed, put on makeup, we're leaving in 5 minutes!" she rushed with the tone of a general. Thereby leaving no room for discussion whatsoever, but at least I had a chance of interrogating Alice about Edward. Bingo.

The bus ride to London was not that bad, but I felt so uncomfortable in the tight jeans. Sure, they looked good on me, but I was not used to tight clothes. I would rather prefer comfort over style, but that is nonsense according to the planet of Alice.

"Oh my god, I am SO excited" she squealed in the bus, which attracted some attention and I just ducked my head. I do not know this girl. The rest of the ride went well; I only managed to stumble once when we descended the bus.

We decided to get off at Piccadilly Circus to go sightseeing a bit. The streets were filled with all kinds of people, but the only face I was searching for was Edward Cullen's. How did he manage to occupy my mind like that? His fascinating and mysterious radiation pulled me in like a moth to a flame. What the two kinds of attraction had in common was that it was a dangerous obsession. I chose to push the thought aside and spend some time with Alice. For now, I would question her later.

"Oh, Bella I have to show you where I want to get married!" she squealed excitedly. Apparently Alice was already thinking about getting married, while I hoped that I was able to survive and make it to my next birthday. She dragged me all the way to St. Paul's Cathedral and when we stopped before it, I was in awe. It was so beautiful and it held an amazing atmosphere.

"I can totally see myself in the perfect gown, which I have designed myself, with the perfect man standing next to me" she ranted off with a dreamy and vacant expression in her face. I giggled.

"Could the perfect man have anything in common with a certain Jasper?" I asked jokingly for which I earned a half glare and half-embarrassed look. I shrugged; "I mean, it's not that impossible".

"Come on Bella, Jasper probably doesn't even know I exist" her face fell as she said it. Hello! What about the sandwich-encounter? I have never felt so invisible in a group before, and we were only three people!

"Alice, honey, remember when we ate sandwiches? He only had eyes for you!" I said in exasperation. Her eyes widened.

"How could I not see?!" she screamed in pure agony.

"Maybe, because you only had eyes for your sandwich?" I joked and lightly punched her arm.

Suddenly we saw a lot of people gather in front of the Cathedral and their attention was directed at the top. Alice and I ran over to them to see what was happening. A couple of people pointed to the sky, but I was blinded by the sunlight when I looked up. I glanced around at the people who were surrounding Alice and I. They had one thing in common; they shared a panic-struck expression in their face.

"What's going on?" I yelled, trying to figure out what the problem was. Alice also pointed to the lantern with a loud gasp.

"Something jumped from the Golden Gallery!" she screamed, and right she was. I saw it. The falling body emitted a scream, so agonising and filled with sorrow that it hurt and it was nearing the ground. I felt like everything had shifted to slow motion mode, even the beat of my heart felt so slow and forced. It sounded like a female cry and soon would another life be taken from the face of Earth. My breath hitched – I could not make myself look away, whereas everybody else closed their eyes, afraid to see the impact which was going to be followed by a thud. But it never came. She was gone and on the ground, where the corpse – body should have landed, lied a pile of feathers. Large and black feathers. I swore, I saw something catching her and flying away, but no bird was large enough to support the weight of a human-being.

"What happened? Someone call somebody!" a panic-struck woman screamed at me. Apparently I was the only one who did not look dumbfounded like everybody else. I needed to get away so I just ran as fast as my legs allowed. I needed space to think about what the heck just happened, but I stumbled across another large black feather. There was a small and barely visible trail of feathers, but it was there. Nobody would notice it if they did not know what they were looking for. Neither did I, but I knew that some bewinged-creature caught the body.

I ran and after some time I ended up at the Kensington Gardens. I had no idea of for how long I had been running. I was surprised by the fact that the park was almost deserted. There was an eerie silence which was only broken by the sound of my steps. The trail led me through an area of fountains and then my heart almost stopped.

Next to the bronze statue of Peter Pan was an angel who was holding a limp, but breathing girl in his arms. I could see it was a male angel, because of his body. It was muscular and tense. He possessed male traits. Normally I would have expected an angel to have white wings, but this angel in particular had black wings. Should I feel intimidated or fascinated? I did not know, but I felt a mixture of both. I was frozen solid there and could not move. He laid her on the ground so her back was leaning against the statue of Peter Pan.

"I know you are there Bella" a familiar voice, which I knew too well, said. I gasped as I realised that the angel had spoken to me. He turned to me and revealed a face, which I had been longing for. I knew him, yet I did not. The bronze hair, the golden eyes – It was him.

Edward Cullen was an angel.


End file.
